Along with beer gardens hosted by Silver Lake's Good Microbrew, there are quite a few food vendors to look forward to. I'm curious to try the vendors listed under the "food" section, as well as asterisked ones under "food trucks." Thanks to numerous trips to Abbot Kinney's First Fridays and truck hunting, I've covered the ones in pink!

With the help of Sustain LA, Silver Lake Jubilee is implementing Zero Waste initiatives with the goal of 90% landfill diversion and aims to source power from alternative energy sources. The festival will not utilize Styrofoam, single‐use plastic bags or plastic water bottles. We encourage attendees to bring their own cups, reusable bags and a blank t-shirt to get a special Silver Lake Jubilee screen-printed T-shirt during the festival. A free bike valet will be available and the festival encourages Metro ridership.

Armed with my Veev sports bottle, I'll be carpooling with three friends to the event tomorrow!

Can't wait for the music, art, local vendors and food at this eco-friendly event!

On May 16th, a whooping month and a half from now, I will be hosting my very first food crawl. It's very appropriate that the theme is Indian khanna (food) because I was born in New Delhi, India and whisked away at the young age of three and a half!

I enjoy over-spicing just about every plate in my kitchen and have been known to eat lick a mound of chaat masala out of my hand. Thankfully, I have the manners not to do that on the food crawl, but if we were talking chocolate, I'd be licking the plate.

Although it isn't formally known as Little India, most people know that it's the concentration of Indian-owned stores in Artesia that Pioneer Boulevard is littered with saree boutiques, jewelers, tons of Indian grocers, craft stores, and most importantly, Indian food joints from just about every region on the subcontinent.

Here's a sneak peak of some of the street grub from one of the eateries we will be stopping at:

Delhi chaat with sev

It's all about the Indian street food. It's something that is replicated at home, but never as good as what you find on the street side. Delhi chaat generally contains deep-fried hollow shells stuffed with boiled potatoes. It is topped with yogurt and two chutneys: sweet tamarind and a limey-cilantro sauce. We've asked for tons of sev, the crushed instant noodle like topping, as it adds another layer of crunch and spice to the mixture.

khandvi

Khandvi is a Gujarati snack that consists of spongy rolls made of chickpea flour infused with mustard seed, curry leaves, and chillies. These beautifully crafted rolls melt in your mouth and is loved by all ages, as it is a mildly spiced specialty. It's topped with grated coconut, sesame seeds, and cilantro.

jalebi

Jalebi is one of those foods you need to carry a moist towelette in your purse for. It's a sweet fried dough that is plunged in loads of syrup. There is a hint of saffron, but most palates can't take the sweetness of the dessert. Indian food really screams extremes. It's mostly very spicy or very sweet. I always leave the store with four to five pieces of this delicious treat.

sweetened masala chai

This picture is pretty self-explanatory. You won't get real cutlery or a mug at this store, but you won't want to frequent the Coffee Bean for their so-called "chai lattes." Surati Farsan makes spectacular sweetened and unsweetened chai that just warms you up! If we go on a warm day, we'll grab some mango lassi or head to Saffron Spot for some falooda.

More information will posted on this blog as it becomes available! We will probably attend four to five eateries, totaling about fifteen to twenty dollars per person, depending on how much you want to gorge! Information about each restaurant and the difference between the cuisines will be available on the crawl. We will pop in and out of stores down Pioneer Blvd, so save up for May 16th!

If you're interested in attending, leave a comment here, send me a tweet, or email foodismynish@gmail.com. Hope you will join us as we eat up Little India!

Michael Voltaggio wins Top Chef Las Vegas, as predicted by yours truly at the beginning of the season. Hotty McVolterson sous-vided and molecularized his way to numero uno and beat out (br)other, well-deserving chefs: Bryan Voltaggio and Kevin Gillespie.

'Twas the night after the season finale and I get a phone call from my mom around 11:30PM. The phone call went something like this:

P.S. Disclaimer to all Bulgarini fanatics (myself included): Bulgarini Gelato has special hours for the months of November &amp; December. Closed Monday to Friday because the owners are "going to Sicily to buy pistachios!!!" Check out their holiday hours here: http://www.bulgarinigelato.com/index.php

A day or so ago, I posted a short and oh so very sweet list of some mouthwatering peachy desserts around Los Angeles. In celebration of National Peach Month, Drago Centro's Pastry Chef, Jashmine Corpuz, had a little something to add:

introducing...

from Pastry Chef Jashmine's iPhone:

"le palacinche"

Le palacinche is Italian for sweet crepes filled with fruit and a cheese component, namely ricotta or mascarpone (but please, correct me if I'm wrong). In this case, Chef Jashmine fills her crepes with a roasted white chocolate and tops these golden specimens with peach and nectarine compote, toasted silvered almonds, and vanilla gelato.

In addition to the mouthwatering description provided by the pastry chef herself, here's a peachy tip Jashmine wanted to share with you...

Peach and Nectarine Compote

In a medium sized pot, cook the ripest peaches with sugar, vanilla, and a bit of white wine

Cook until the mixture is tender and then puree with a hand blender

Use this puree to cook the peaches that are semi-firm, as it will bring out the best of the under ripe peaches

If you've yet to try Drago Centro's desserts, I strongly suggest that you head on over. At so many restaurants, desserts are either a hit or miss, but I have yet to have one off-putting experience at Drago Centro thanks to this very talented pastry chef!

I love corn on the cob, but I can't stand the concept of slabbing butter on vegetables. The only reason I keep butter in my fridge is for the occasional loaf of sourdough and baking. My anti-butter stance and affection for Indian street foods influence this simple, savory take on a classic!If you've tried my cooking at Stir It 28, you know that I am a big fan of using lime, ginger, and Indian masalas (spices). This is another such recipe that will make your taste buds tingle. For those of you who did attend the successful charity event thrown by Chrystal of The Duo Dishes and Greg from SippitySup, I will be posting my signature limey guacamole and my dad's chicken kebab recipe in the coming week!

oh la la - new prep bowls, not so new camera phone

Ingredients:
-1/8 teaspoon paprika
-1/4 teaspoon chat masala*
-1 or 2 limes, depending on the juicyliciousness of the lime-2 cobs of corn
*chat masala, a blend of spices, is commonly found at Indian supermarkets. For approximately $2 or less, you can purchase a large quantity from a good brand (MDH or Roopak's)

Directions:

There are two different methods I use to prepare the corn: boiling or charring. I prefer boiling, but charring does add smokiness and texture. Charring the corn over a gas stove also allows for the corn to soak up the lime and spices.

1. Squeeze your lime in a small bowl. Save the used lime wedge for step four.2. Mix the chat masala and paprika into the bowl of lime juice. Set the mixture aside.

it's like opening my mom's round, metal dhaba (tin) of spices

For boiled corn:3. Fill a pot with water deep and wide enough to submerse the corn. Wait for the water to boil and slide in your corn on the cob. Cover the pot for 10-15 minutes, until the corn is cooked to your preferred softness.
For charred corn:
4. Use tongs and hold the corn over a gas stove or charcoal grill. Rotate often and evenly until charred.

I swear... I meant to do that.

5. Take the squeezed lime wedge and use it as a brush to spread the mixture onto your cooked corn.

lime brush au naturale

This recipe makes for a healthier snack and an unique, "ethnic" addition at a Summer BBQ. If you're too lazy (or a college student, like me) I often use the frozen, roasted corn from Trader Joe's.

Another chocolate review? Yeah, you better believe it! As all of you know, I am a chocolate fanatic and one of my favorite things to do is to bring exposure to the chocolatiers and their creations that make us swoon.

Barkeater Chocolates is named for its mountainous location, as it is stationed in the Adirondack Mountains of New York in the town of North Creek. Chocolatier and owner Deb Morris engineers batches of gourmet truffles with unique, toothsome flavors by hand.

Excited to try their chocolates, I contacted Deb via Twitter for a sampling of her truffles. Little did I know that she would ship a battalion of flavors in my direction. Three plastic boxes, wrapped in rustic ribbons, showcased deliciously molded truffles:

ten truffles, compliments of Barkeater Chocolates

When I first unwrapped the boxes, my nostrils were hit by the potent aroma of the chocolates.It was a Herculean effort on my part to take several photos of each individual truffle without nibbling away!

Naturally, being a lover of dark chocolates, I gravitated towards the cinnamon and orange liqueur truffles. The cinnamon craftily incorporated nutmeg and was topped with what seemed like slightly candied or dried cinnamon stick. The orange liqueur truffle was infused with Grand Marnier and reminded me of the souffle I regretfully should have ordered when dining at Keller's Fleur de Lys in Vegas. Both flavors were a hit with me and my boyfriend. The only truffle I genuinely did not like of the bunch was the peanut butter. There was something off about the duo, the peanut butter chocolate ganache wasn't pronounced and fell flat, even after generous coats of milk chocolate.

this one deserves a special mention! white chocolate Kahlua, covered in milk chocolate

I generally shy away from purchasing milk and white chocolate, but throw some alcohol into the equation and I absolutely adore it!The Kahlua blended to perfection with the white chocolate ganache. I initially thought it was coconut, because of the white specks on top, but was gladly corrected by the box!

4-piece Soy Collection clockwise: toddy, chai, vanilla, almond

I had an "ah-ha" moment when tasting the soy truffles. The four-piece Soy Collection isn't concocted with dairy or animal products, making them safe for those who are lactose intolerant and vegan friendly, although it does contain sugar. My favorite of the bunch, these truffles were as creamy and arguably richer than their dairy counterparts!

chocolate is molded around the ganache

Out of the four, the soy chai and soy toddy had the most memorable tastes. The soy chai, made with a mix of chai spices and black tea, perfectly replicated the taste of Indian chai with chocolate overtones. It was strong and sung of cloves, definitely an "explosive" flavor.

The soy toddy perplexed me at first, because I just couldn't recall what toddy even means. I could taste liqueur, but couldn't place it. Toddy refers to an alcoholic mixed drink that is often served hot; in this case, it was made with brandy liqueur. Finally, the soy vanilla and almond were pleasant, but lackluster when coupled in a box of such bold flavors.

Elite collection: pomegranate (top) &amp; lavender truffles (bottom)

I saved the Elite collection for last, recalling lavender overwhelms my taste buds. The lavender wasn't overly floral and balanced well with the chocolate. Unfortunately, I tried the lavender immediately prior to tasting the pomegranate truffle and could not comprehend the pomegranate flavor whatsoever. I treasured half of the pomegranate truffle for later, knowing that my senses were shot. Even after saving the truffle, I couldn't conceive any pomegranate, a taste I'm very familiar with. Perhaps, pomegranate and lavender got too cozy and the lavender's aroma overpowered that of the former? Our sense of smell is responsible for a large portion of what we taste, right?

Overall, Barkeater Chocolates is a gourmet chocolatier to visit when you crave unique and explosive flavors. Their truffles are well-crafted, made of quality chocolate, and magnify the flavors one desires when one orders soy chai or cinnamon dark chocolate or lavender!Barkeater also conjures up other confections, including nut clusters and peanut butter cups. Send your loved one a chocolate care package or present your guests with favor boxes!

Disclaimer:This product was sent to me complimentary of Barkeater Chocolates. I must stress that my opinion of the product is derived solely from my taste buds and not because they were comped. Have to do my palate and conscience justice, food blogger ethics for the win!

Thanks Barkeater Chocolates!

Become a fan on Facebook and/or follow Barkeater on Twitter. For every follower/fan, they will be donating $1 to the American Red Cross, until they reach $500.

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Anisha
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11/25/2009

"Julie &amp; Julia" finally hit the two-dollar theater near me. I didn't have the opportunity to see it when it was on the bigger and better screen, but today, I took time out of my oh so busy schedule and went on a movie date with the boyfriend.

The boyfriend and I have been dating for about 31 months, but really, who's counting -- not me, never. He doesn't follow chopstick etiquette. He despises when I tell him to put his napkin on his lap when we're out to eat. He also uses a fork and knife in the most amusing, savage-like way. If he could, he'd point out that I too, "feed my shirt." Every so often, he does watch and appreciate a good chick flick. Tonight was one of those nights, but the movie did not meet our expectations.

Don't get me wrong... I love me some Julia Child! I didn't fall in love with the ending and wasn't thrilled with the splices of Amy Adams portraying Julie Powell. The movie seemed to stretched out for what felt like an eternity and our rumbling tummies did not help one bit.

By the end of movie, I was inspired. I wanted to cook more food. I'm always baking and I don't spend too much time making my main course creative. "Julie &amp; Julia" definitely motivated me to cook a challenging meal and stray away from my current roasted butternut squash and sweet potato obsession.

I had my mind set on heading to the grocery store. I knew what I wanted: a baguette, some fresh vegetables, and salmon. But alas, Sid was far too famished and we settled on In-N-Out Burger. Two grilled cheeses and animal-style fries later, Anisha and Sid were happy campers.

[insert awful camera phone picture of grilled cheese]

[insert picture of Sid's fries drenched in condiments]

Julie &amp; Julia: never ever watch this movie on an empty stomachIn-N-Out: a solution to everything, especially when done "animal-style" or as my dad once calls it, "doggy-style!"

All in all, we had a great date night which ended with warm pumpkin pie, beer pong, and a nice long chat around the hookah with some buddies.

Like any other normal girl my age, I love to shop. And as many of you know, I love to eat, learn techniques in the kitchen, bake to my heart's content, watch good food porn, amuse myself with bad food porn, and well just about anything else related to food.

My love for food coupled with my love for shopping can only result in this new found fascination: quirky party items &amp; kitchen gadgets. This post is dedicated to the practical, the very impractical, and the "oh my goodness, I need to have those" novelties.

The search for the coolest kitchen gadgets known to household chef probably began when I was watching an episode of Alton Brown's Good Eats on the Food Network. Before he began to work on his meat, Brown washed his hands in the kitchen sink and I caught a glimpse of it. Thankfully, I have DVR at my new house and I rewound it over and over... and over. A colorful bird soap dispenser caught my eye. It was attached to the window with a suction cup and in one sweeping motion one can dispense soap by tipping the bird's beak! You can buy it here for $16.99.

[credit: Apartment Therapy]

A colander that... folds? The innovative Joseph Joseph had me at this square colander: the bright colors and square shape really won me over. That is, until I found this one:

Get A Grip. It reminds me of a lunch at Doe Jan in Arcadia with Carina (Uncouth Gourmands), Tony (SinoSoul) and his lovely wifey Hayon. Carina cutely documents "uncouth" moments with her digi cam and this product reminds me of our lunchy lunch. Although we did not sip on wine, I sure did get my soy milk fix.

And for every batter bowl-licking girl (or boy) out there, I present the Batterfinger. I saw it first online at Cupcakes Take the Cake and then once more at Yolk in Silver Lake, right next to LA MILL Coffee. The next time I'm in Silver Lake, this baby will be mine and will soon join its pals in the utensil drawer. Well worth its $12 price tag in my books, I'm going to celebrate with brownie batter.

I tihnk I would most likely order the Peppercorn steak along with Tahitian Vanilla Bean Crème Brûlée. Anyone can try and make a steak, but I think there's an art of making a steak that's delicious. Same goes for the creme brulee.
Alishia Rizzo, boobootrixie(at)(gmail)(dot)(com)
@AlyRizzo
I just added you on FB: Alishia Rizzo.

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Aside from blogging at food is my nish, I'm also a writer for the Examiner, an online publication for local insiders to share information about a topic they are passionate about. In my case, that topic is desserts in Los Angeles!

I proudly jumped on the French macaron bandwagon! I've adored French macarons after trying them at Ladurée in Paris, four years ago; perfect place to burst your macaron-cherry, no? I distinctly remember how cautiously our server picked up each macaron with tongs and placed it in a bed of tissue paper within a tiny box. Before I could even taste it, I knew I was about to revel in something special.

I've been scouring Los Angeles for the yummiest ones, but more about thatobsession in another post. Annoyed with the sheer amount of money I blow on these tiny bites of joy, I took upon the arduous task of making and eating them!

Being a chocoholic and all, it was inevitable that the chocolate macaron would be my first attempt. Traditionally, macarons did not have fillings (buttercream, glaze, ganache, etc.) and were simply fused together right out of the oven. Thrilled that times have changed, I settled on a chocolate ganache as the glue to the sandwich!

* Separate egg whites and leave at room temperature for two days. check!
* Measure ingredients using a weighing scale. fail! In my defense, the scale was broken!
* Use a food processor to grind down the almond meal into powder. check!
* Space macarons an inch apart. fail! I don't know what made me do this:

poor babies didn't have room!

The only difficulty I had in preparing this recipe was folding the wet and dry batches. Folding in the first half of the batter was a simple task, but the second resulted in a lot of lumps. If anyone has any tips, please let me know!

glossy semi-sweet chocolate ganache

For the ganache, I settled on a random recipe online that required the least amount of heavy cream, no butter, and no corn syrup. I kept it simple stupid and used 3/4 of a cup heavy cream to one cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips from Trader Joe's. I made the ganache a day earlier, knowing it takes a while to set and cool.

at least they had "feet"

The only problem with the macarons was the outside. It was bumpy and too fragile, in comparison to ones I've tried. Also, some formed quake-lines right down the middle. I'm not sure if it was the temperature (350°) or the folding of the batter. The interior was chewy, a perfect cookie-brownie hybrid.

Taste testers, JC and my dad, enjoyed the final product. My dad, having tried at least five different macarons, loved my version of the chocolate macaron. He said, and I quote, "they look ugly, but this ganache is very good." Tonight was JC's first time trying a macaron and he gladly ate another. Daddy persisted until we finished all the macarons on the plate. I'm very thankful that they were tasty, otherwise I wouldn't feel like I had the street cred to comment on the macarons of other patisseries!

in true HIMYM fashion: kids, what did we learn today?

never judge a macaron by its exterior!

My next batch will *hopefully* taste like a sweet Thai curry with coconut buttercream filling! My goal is to perfect the macaron by June 19, the next Eat My Blog charity bake sale!

Procrastination is my middle name. That is, until something truly amazing comes along and I have to write/blog/blab about it to all my friends. It's 2:00 AM in the morning and I cannot help but write about Bulgarini Gelato.

I've been wanting to try this gelateria for a while, but didn't quite get around to it until tonight. I invited my friends over for my very first batch of coffee dark chocolate chunk ice cream in my sparkly, stainless steel, 2 quart Cuisinart ice cream maker. A 21st birthday present come early, I was so thrilled I forgot the oh so important step of freezing the freeze bowl. A bit devastated that I forgot to RTFM and that my friends were now dessert-less, we decided to make the ten mile trek to Bulgarini Gelato.

The location isn't anything spectacular; it is not across a contemporary condo on Abbot Kinney, nor is it on thriving overly chain-driven 3rd street in Santa Monica. Bulgarini Gelato is tucked away in a dark plaza which boasts a Rite-Aide and a few small stores. Please, excuse the forthcoming cliche: Bulgarini Gelato is a diamond in the rough.

This small gelateria has plenty of outdoor seating and quite the local following. Saturday nights are especially fun, as they screen an Italian movie outdoors.

The four of my friends and myself couldn't help but sample a variety of the flavors; hence, the three spoons in my single "scoop" or "piccola" of gelato. Each piccola allows one to get three, approximately 2 oz. scoops of gelati. I sampled six flavors:

This time, for my trio I picked the goat's milk (left), chocolate (top right), and caffe (bottom). I was very pleased with how all three paired with each other. My friend JC choose the lemon, kiwi, and plum. If I were to visit again in the heat of the day, that would most definitely be my next trio.

Westside truly represents and can flaunt Bulgarini Gelato as one of it's hotspots, or in this case, deliciously cold spot! I know for a fact that my friends and I will be back to Bulgarini, but will you?

It was only a month ago when I decided to host a Little India Food Crawl! Since then, I've received an overwhelming response from readers, tweeple, and fellow bloggers. Throughout the crawl, there will be informational packets to link what you're eating with the region in India. We'll also be touring the markets for some groceries to take home and hopefully see a demonstration or two!

The crawl will begin on May 16, 2010 at 1:00PM (eat a light breakfast or just fast) and will formally end at 6:00PM. Join and leave the crawl when you desire, but keep in mind each destination will focus on different regional cuisine. Every stop in the crawl is in walking distance of each other, so just park your car, join the group, and eat your Little Indian heart out! All times are estimated -- once you RSVP w/ your email address, contact information will be provided to make sure you don't get lost!

Break: ETA: 3:00PM-3:30PM
Unlike elementary school, food crawlers are given a thirty minute break sans brown bag. There may be a surprise component to this crawl during the break. More details to come!

In addition to eating... we will be in and out of local markets (will school y'all on ingredients to make the same food at home!) and perusing stores. If you're feeling really adventurous, get henna tattoos from Ziba or your eyebrows threaded!

What to bring?
* your appetite and fat pants
* camera for food porn, of course!
* Twitter enabled cell phones to make everyone drool/jealous!Use #LittleIndia during our crawl!How much $ should I bring for the crawl?
Well, how hungry are you? I think each person won't be able to move after $10-15 worth of food, provided we're sharing. Bring some extra cash if you want to buy some goodies from the markets, trinkets from stores, and the like.

RSVP
Include your name, email address, and the # of guests you will be bringing

'Twas the morning of my twenty-first birthday and I was getting ready to head out to Vegas. Before I threw my suitcases into the trunk, I had the urge to check my email. A weekend sans email is torturous, especially when I'm stranded in Sin City. As I was scouring my inbox, I came across an email from Carmen, a PR representative of a German chocolate company. In the email, she was wished me a very happy birthday, thumbs-upped my blog, and presented me a gift certificate for three customizable chocolate bars, including free shipping! That was the start to a very, very sinful birthday weekend.

love the see-through packaging and customized labels at the top!

Chocri customizable chocolate is one of theneatest confections you can gift a chocoholic. I was lucky enough to create and taste three of my very own chocolate bars, compliments of Chocri.

don't you wish you could swim in pools of chocolate? I do.

[screen shot from chocri.com]

There are three types of chocolates to choose from:

white chocolate, base price of $5.90

32% milk chocolate, base price of $6.90

64% dark chocolate, base price of $7.90

All of the Belgian chocolate is organic and fair trade. Chocri offers over 100 toppings to choose from, which means a whooping 10 billion possible combinations. Although I'd like to list out the amazing toppings to choose from, looking at the toppings on your chocolate base is even more enticing. The toppings range in prices from $0.10 [sea salt] to $2.10 [real gold flakes]. Some interesting toppings include: goji berries, bacon, pink and purple candied lilac, flax seed, marzipan carrots... and the mouth-watering list goes on. Check out the complete list of toppingshere.

Just in time for Easter, Chocri has added eight themed toppings. The following two are my favorite:

you're going to need an extra-large plastic Easter egg for this bar of chocolate

[screen shot from chocri.com]

not too shabby for milk chocolate

The first bar contained blueberries, cashews, gold flakes, and honey chocolate drops on a 34% milk chocolate base. The milk chocolate was very creamy and took a while to melt in my mouth (and in my hand). The honey chocolate drops (smack dab in the middle of the picture above) was my favorite part of the chocolate, as it paired well with the rest of the bar. The blueberries and cashews added for a nice, chew and crunch texture.

crunchy goodness, my favorite of the three!

The second bar was hands down, my favorite of the three bars! The dark chocolate bar was topped with toffee pieces, cappuccino drops, roasted almonds, sour cherries and coffee grounds. The coffee grounds and cappuccino drops added depth of flavor and paired well against the roasted almonds and sweet toffee. The bar was very thick, as the toppings added more width to it (scroll up to the first picture)! I unfortunately, shared this bar amongst my parents and two roommates. This bar alone would prompt me to purchase Chocri chocolate. I cannot stress enough, how awesome it is to pick the toppings on your chocolate bar!

best line ever: "it makes your poo sparkle"

The third bar was a whimsical choice on my part. I fondly named it "the Bling bar." I'm a girl who is enamored by both jewelry and chocolate and the idea that I created a bling bar isn't farfetched. I choose the shiniest toppings available: gold flake, golden pearls, silver pearls, and a star decoration on dark chocolate. The goal of this chocolate bar, in my boyfriend's tongue, was to "make your poo sparkle!" I won't confirm or deny if it did just that, but I pretended that my chocolate bar was akin to Serendipity's famed $1,000 Golden Opulence Sundae.

The Chocri concept is well-developed and there is something for just about everyone. Say you loved your chocolate bar creation and want to reorder it? Easy! Each bar has an unique code on the back of each chocolate bar's package. Just type in the code and bam, it's in your shopping cart! What if you can't decide on the toppings? Visit theirgallery of chocolate bars that have recently been created, popular, and recommended bars.

The chocolate is slightly on the pricey side, but Chocri demolishes other customizable chocolate competition, such as M&amp;M's customizable candy messages. My only recommendation to Chocri is to create a fourth chocolate base, a dark chocolate with a higher percentage of cocoa mass over 70%.

If you have the dough and you want an unique gift to woo your loved one, impress your boss, or simply indulge, Chocri should be at the top of your list!

I've been obsessed with ginger cappuccinos ever since my first sip of an orange-ginger latte at Klatch Coffee in Ontario. If I could only live with only one root vegetable, ginger would place first. I'm a fan of it it in all forms: fried pakoda-style, candied, ginger beers in Moscow mules, and even nibbled on raw.

I didn't think of making a ginger cappuccino until I was chatting with my mom, as she prepper ginger for daal. Minutes later, our Breville espresso machine was warming up and I was pulverizing ginger into shreds. If you're feeling like an earthy warm beverage, try a ginger cappuccino a la Anisha:

grate about a thumb's worth of ginger

steam three ounces of cold milk. make sure to get your foam on!

pull two shots worth of espresso straight into your saucer and then pour the foamy milk.

if you like your capps sweet, stir in some brown sugar.

grate a bit of ginger for garnish!

If you aren't fond of ginger, you probably won't enjoy this cappuccino. If you love masala chai, this steamy beverage will be your best buddy this Fall. Speaking of chai, one of my pet peeves is the phrase "chai tea latte" because translated it is "tea tea latte."So unless you're okay with ATM machines and PIN numbers, go ahead and call those Starbucksian poorly spiced lattes "chai tea."

Go "greet ginger" when you caffeinate next and tell me how you like it!

I've been obsessed with ginger cappuccinos ever since my first sip of an orange-ginger latte at Klatch Coffee in Ontario. If I could only live with only one root vegetable, ginger would place first. I'm a fan of it it in all forms: fried pakoda-style, candied, ginger beers in Moscow mules, and even nibbled on raw.

I didn't think of making a ginger cappuccino until I was chatting with my mom, as she prepper ginger for daal. Minutes later, our Breville espresso machine was warming up and I was pulverizing ginger into shreds. If you're feeling like an earthy warm beverage, try a ginger cappuccino a la Anisha:

grate about a thumb's worth of ginger

steam three ounces of cold milk. make sure to get your foam on!

pull two shots worth of espresso straight into your saucer and then pour the foamy milk.

if you like your capps sweet, stir in some brown sugar.

grate a bit of ginger for garnish!

If you aren't fond of ginger, you probably won't enjoy this cappuccino. If you love masala chai, this steamy beverage will be your best buddy this Fall. Speaking of chai, one of my pet peeves is the phrase "chai tea latte" because translated it is "tea tea latte."So unless you're okay with ATM machines and PIN numbers, go ahead and call those Starbucksian poorly spiced lattes "chai tea."

Go "greet ginger" when you caffeinate next and tell me how you like it!

When it comes to food writing, I find that dessert and cocktails may very well be my forté... it's only taken a year to figure out. My attraction to writing sweet blurbs on Citysearch's now "decayed" Sugarbomber was magnetic and these days, dinner is always consummated with dessert.

About a month or so ago, an invite to sample the new desserts at Nobu popped up in my inbox and sweet tooth aside, I couldn't say no. I adored my first taste of Nobu at TOTNLA, classic miso marinated black cod with butter lettuce:

I just had to order it again...

Miso black cod with butter lettuce ($8)

I made my trek to Nobu on a Saturday evening around happy hour, hoping to grab a little snack and to sip on a savory cocktail. I went solo and sat at the bar; it was all very picturesque and felt like a scene out of a movie. Clearly, I don't dine alone.

Pisco sour

pisco, fresh lime juice, sugar cane

tip: only $7 for mixed drinks at happy hour in the bar!

With a Pisco sour, there was really no need for company. I'm a sucker for cocktails with some frothy egg whites action and this one really hit the spot. Next time, I'll try their Spicy Açai made with (big surprise) Veev açai vodka.

The bartender is an expert when it comes to choosing quality ingredients for his cocktails. When I spotted my favorite ginger beer, Cock 'N Bull, he mentioned that he tested over ten ginger beers to find the right one for the Melbourne Mule. Now that is gingery sweet dedication. This smoky sour cocktail fared well when paired against the sweet debauchery that would soon envelop my mouth.

When it comes to desserts, I maintain a chocolate bias. To me, chocolate must end the day; hell, it signals bedtime like a tall glass of warm milk, but infinitely better! At Nobu, I had no chocolate... and it was good.

Cheesecake ($12)

cheesecake mousse, sable breton, raspberry coulis, strawberry gelato

The first of Nobu's summer desserts is unfussy and is merely listed as "Cheesecake." Like its simple title, it's not overly complicated. The cheesecake mousse was light and airy (duh, it's mousse), feigning similarities in flavor to Taiwanese cheesecakes found in bakeries around Arcadia. The crust is a sable breton, a crunchy tart shell resembling a day old shortbread cookie. Paired with the dessert, is fresh raspberry coulis and a creamy strawberry gelato.

shichimi sugar work:

where sweet and savory play nice

What screams "Nobu!" about this plate? Executive Pastry Chef Gabriel Riva incorporated shichimi, Japanese seven spice, into the delicate sugar decoration. Don't you dig when savory and sweet play off of each other so harmoniously?

In all honesty, the Cheesecake was good, but the Equilibrium blew my mind! This sweet salad of sorts made my experience at Nobu, as well as my list of Top Ten in 2010 desserts. Achieving perfect balance, the Equilibrium incorporated acidic oranges with the creamiest piped goat cheese, along with the tang of the micro arugula. The orange-pomegranate sorbet was perfectly sweet and reminded me that it was indeed a dessert. It melted into a soup-salad mess, which I happily spooned by tilting my plate. Finally, the caramelized pecans added the crunch factor this plate so desperately needed. It's everything you want in a dessert, without a sugar coma.

With summer ending, you must head down to Nobu for the Equilibrium and a cocktail. From a sampling of two desserts, it's pretty damn evident that Nobu West Hollywood is a solid dessert destination.

I heart ice cream. It can solve just about any problem that weasels its way into my life. I love ice cream in a freshly pressed waffle cone, in a dinky foam cup, with a slice of pie, on a waffle, and (my favorite) between cookies. Just last week, I encountered a new yummy treat called an "It's-It."The first time I heard of an "It's-It" was when my boyfriend and I were strolling, more like scavenging, through the frozen dessert section at our local Ralph's. We intended to buy a pint and have just a few spoons after dinner. When we realized a pint would offer too much temptation. Instead, we sought out Snickers Ice Cream bars (so yum!). Right next to the ice cream bars, was a cute little box that said "It's-It." I showed it to my boyfriend, knowing I had found a gem. Alas, my boyfriend had already tried an It's-It when he toured Googleplex in NorCal. I really wanted to try the ice cream sandwiches, but we opted for 100 calorie Klondike bars because we're trying to cut back. I told my boyfriend I'd wait till he's back from his one-month vacay to India to eat an It's-It with him.I cheated. I blame it on my sweet tooth. I couldn't combat the urge to not try something new. Plus, who can resist vanilla ice cream sandwiched between two oatmeal raisin cookies and DIPPED in dark chocolate.I'm sorry Sid. I had to do it. I know you're reading this in India right now (the dot comes up on my tracker!) and I hope you can forgive your chocolate-loving girlfriend. If its any consolation, there's one left in the freezer waiting upon your return!

Anyway, "It's-It" ice cream sandwiches are absolutely amazing. Aside from the caloric content (gasp! 10g of saturated fat), it's my favorite store-bought frozen ice cream sandwich. My roommate and I shared one and instantly knew it was a winner. The oatmeal raisin cookie was nicely-spiced and was soft. Yes, you read it right: the cookies were soft. I cannot wait to get my hands on the mint, cappuccino, and chocolate ice cream flavors of It's-It! Three "It's-Its" come in a box for only $3; that's cheaper than making a trip to Westwood for Diddy Riese $1.50 ice cream sandwiches! Klondike: Please go back to Alaska.It's-It: I'm kidnapping you from San Francisco and holding you hostage in my freezer.

There is nothing dainty about eating a cupcake curbside. I have sincere issues when it comes to devouring this dessert on the steps of a museum in Little Tokyo or walking amongst dolled up creatures on Abbot Kinney. When crumbs fall, I brush away a tear and wish for a small plate and earth friendly cutlery.

Everyone's cupcake eating regimen varies; some completely unravel the cake from the wrapper and proceed to indulge. Others, myself included, unravel as they nibble, which inevitably leads to a frosting-tipped nose, tissues, and retouches of makeup.

It's pretty evident that cupcakes are an over exhausted trend and some crumby cupcakeries should be nipped in the bud and (ideally) be replaced with the truly dainty, French macaron. I've managed to track down the Dainty Cakes truck three times, but was successful in acquiring a cupcake on the third visit, which only exhausted the cliche "third time's a charm."

impressive flavor list

Only problem was... the cupcake wasn't all that charming! My friend Joanna picked the classic red velvet, her favorite, while I went with the "cookie monster." I half expected a blue velvet cupcake, as I always equate the name to the vibrant blue cake found at the Milk Shop on Beverly. Instead, I was pleased to read that the cupcake was chocolate frosting on chocolate cake with an additional helping of crushed Oreo pieces ideal for a chocoholic, no?

it seems like cupcakes will be around for a long time...

not that I'm complaining!

In defense of Dainty Cakes, their display case was devoid of cupcakes due to hoards of museum visitors armed with cupcake vouchers. A wait of at least ten minutes (for a cupcake, mind you) led me to peak into the bus where I spotted a girl frantically frosting cupcake orders one by one. By the time my friend and I received our cupcakes, our frosting was glistening and melted. Could it have been the heat of the bus or because it was newly frosted? No one will ever know...

The cake of the cookie monster was unusually spongy and dense, while the frosting lacked any form. It's only saving grace was the crunchy bits of Oreo cookies. My friend, another cupcake connoisseur, was equally unimpressed and a bit disappointed by the cream cheese frosting of the red velvet.

As dampening as this cupcake experience was, I will report back once I try another cupcake as I can't bring myself to judge a cupcakery, mobile or not, by just one cupcake. Oh woe food blogger ethics...

In celebration of my new roommate's (Adam's) birthday, I decided to make apple pie. How appropriate, right? Making mini apple pies may seem like an easy task, almost like how Jenna (Keri Russell) in Waitress would conjure a pie in a few minutes based on her prevalent mood. However, Adam and I made a simple recipe into a Herculean task. Instead of venturing to the local market to buy a three pound bag of apples, we decided to explore our backyard. Our backyard is fairly large; we have a 45 degree, never-ending hill with desert-like vegetation. Halfway up this hill, among cacti and bushes is a granny smith apple tree. Feeling adventurous, I was the first one to hike up there in my Kenneth Cole sandals (terribly smart -- I know). Many of the apples crawling with ants, resulting a shrieking Anisha who was picking them one by one. I tossed apple after apple in Adam's direction below and soon enough we had a full basket.

The apples turned out to be perfectly tart. Now, here is my very own apple pie recipe, crust and all!

Preparation: Mix the dry ingredients: crushed graham crackers, sugars, salt, and ground cinnamon. Once evenly mixed, stir into the melted butter. Press 1/5 of this mixture onto the bottom and sides of each of the four ramekins. Bake for about five minutes at 350 degrees. Let each crust cool before adding any pie filling. The remaining 1/5 of the pie crust crumbs should be used as the final topping to the pie.Pie Filling

Preparation:Blend these ingredients in a food processor or blender. Results in a creamy, off-white thick sauce. Add about four tablespoons of this mixture onto each pie-filled ramekin. Top each ramekin with the remaining 1/5 mixture of pie crust crumbs.

Finally, bake at about 350 degrees for 45 minutes until the filling in bubbling. Cool for about half an hour before devouring!

Each spoon of the apple pie made our muddy hike up the hill validated. I would recommend purchasing a tub of vanilla bean or almond praline ice cream to accompany this pie. It's very crusty -- just the way my roommates and I like it!

(saved a bite for the cell phone camera -- please excuse the blurriness!)

If you're not in the mood to try this recipe in your kitchen (or if you can't bake to save your life), venture to Porto's Bakery in Glendale for their amazing apple strudel!

When you're young, you don't quite appreciate the flavors of certain vegetables. Well... at least I didn't.

I loved all things green spinach, peas, broccoli, you name it! Basically, I was infatuated with every vegetable portrayed in the media as the cliché combatant at the dinner table. Go figure. The only vegetable I really despised, which somehow always snuck its way onto greasy Pizza Hut pizzas and into sandwiches were bell peppers.

Oh how times have changed!

A decade later, I have found a new love for these vibrant and nutritious members of the capsicum family. I just roasted some red bell peppers to accompany a spicy halibut with avocado mash, perfect for Cinco de Mayo!

I was inspired to purchase some bell peppers after a trip to Euro Pane last Saturday. Lucky for me, Euro Pane is only a hop, skip, and jump away from my stomping grounds and a hotspot for Pasadenans. Sandwiched between eight hours of CPA prep courses, I was determined to try their popular open faced egg sandwich on my lunch break, but I already spoiled the ending for you guys...

An hour of downtime wasn't enough to beat local traffic and eat there, so I opted for a more portable meal. It's a tale of two red bell peppers, ending with a red bell pepper and goat cheese sandwich on multigrain bread:

I was ecstatic that I opted for the "lighter" vegetarian option on their menu. The bell peppers were awfully succulent and meaty, in a "I-can't-believe-I'm-not-being-carnivorous" way. The sandwich was a tad bit soggy by the time I got to demolish it, but demolish it, I did. Next time, I'll ask them to slightly toast the bread for a good crunch factor.

All weekend I've been playing around with photo-editing software, when I should have been studying. When I first started blogging, a year or so ago, I didn't think I'd make the effort to edit each and every picture I've taken. That being said, don't you dig this cartooned chocolate chip² ice cream sandwich? It's a bitchippy up top, but when did too much chocolate chips pose a problem?

2011 will be the Year of the Macaron on food is my nish, butthat explanation will come later. First, I must tell you the story of how I popped my macaron cherry...

Just a few weeks before my sophomore year of college, my family decided to drop what they were doing and head to London and Paris. It was the opportune moment and by far, one of my favorite family excursions to date. Without sounding too cheesy, Europe is where I discovered my passion for talking about food and exactly how I like to travel, through food. After browsing through the Louvre galleries, we stopped for some sweets at Laudrée and that was where I met the macaron. Needless to say, I thought this "cookie" was phenomenal.

I wanted to perfect them in my own kitchen, but after several ugly mac-batches I'm in dire need of professional intervention by a dessert goddess. If you have anyone in mind, shoot me their contact information!

Thankfully, a few patisseries around Los Angeles delve out these beauties. That being said, your macaron need not be imported from Pierre Hermé or Laudrée. Even this sample of Parisians cannot tell the difference between McDonald's and Laudrée. And you thought you'd never see the day when McDonald's carried little Macs.

Chiffon de Pastry Art was a darling find in Arcadia, thanks to my bestie Jessica. Even though both of us were pregnant with food, twins Slaw Dogs and Polkatots, she insisted that I try their macarons. How could I, ms. sweet teeth, say no?

what pretty green feet!

I haven't had the pleasure of trying a green tea macaron before, so I don't have much to compare it to. The macaron and its filling were made of matcha powder, the same powder used to flavor mochi and green tea ice cream. Due to the bitter, earthy taste of the matcha, the macaron wasn't very sweet and well-balanced. If you're a lover of matcha green tea, this is your kind of macaron. Mine, not so much.

flavors: green tea, strawberry, chocolate mango

Macarons were reasonably priced at $2.25 for their large size. The texture was a bit too chewy and you'd be better off heading to Euro Pane in Pasadena for their sea salt caramel and pistachio macarons. Opt for Chiffon's namesake instead!

In celebration of my new roommate's (Adam's) birthday, I decided to make apple pie. How appropriate, right? Making mini apple pies may seem like an easy task, almost like how Jenna (Keri Russell) in Waitress would conjure a pie in a few minutes based on her prevalent mood. However, Adam and I made a simple recipe into a Herculean task. Instead of venturing to the local market to buy a three pound bag of apples, we decided to explore our backyard. Our backyard is fairly large; we have a 45 degree, never-ending hill with desert-like vegetation. Halfway up this hill, among cacti and bushes is a granny smith apple tree. Feeling adventurous, I was the first one to hike up there in my Kenneth Cole sandals (terribly smart -- I know). Many of the apples crawling with ants, resulting a shrieking Anisha who was picking them one by one. I tossed apple after apple in Adam's direction below and soon enough we had a full basket.

The apples turned out to be perfectly tart. Now, here is my very own apple pie recipe, crust and all!

Preparation: Mix the dry ingredients: crushed graham crackers, sugars, salt, and ground cinnamon. Once evenly mixed, stir into the melted butter. Press 1/5 of this mixture onto the bottom and sides of each of the four ramekins. Bake for about five minutes at 350 degrees. Let each crust cool before adding any pie filling. The remaining 1/5 of the pie crust crumbs should be used as the final topping to the pie.Pie Filling

Preparation:Blend these ingredients in a food processor or blender. Results in a creamy, off-white thick sauce. Add about four tablespoons of this mixture onto each pie-filled ramekin. Top each ramekin with the remaining 1/5 mixture of pie crust crumbs.

Finally, bake at about 350 degrees for 45 minutes until the filling in bubbling. Cool for about half an hour before devouring!

Each spoon of the apple pie made our muddy hike up the hill validated. I would recommend purchasing a tub of vanilla bean or almond praline ice cream to accompany this pie. It's very crusty -- just the way my roommates and I like it!

(saved a bite for the cell phone camera -- please excuse the blurriness!)

If you're not in the mood to try this recipe in your kitchen (or if you can't bake to save your life), venture to Porto's Bakery in Glendale for their amazing apple strudel!

2011 will be the Year of the Macaron on food is my nish, butthat explanation will come later. First, I must tell you the story of how I popped my macaron cherry...

Just a few weeks before my sophomore year of college, my family decided to drop what they were doing and head to London and Paris. It was the opportune moment and by far, one of my favorite family excursions to date. Without sounding too cheesy, Europe is where I discovered my passion for talking about food and exactly how I like to travel, through food. After browsing through the Louvre galleries, we stopped for some sweets at Laudrée and that was where I met the macaron. Needless to say, I thought this "cookie" was phenomenal.

I wanted to perfect them in my own kitchen, but after several ugly mac-batches I'm in dire need of professional intervention by a dessert goddess. If you have anyone in mind, shoot me their contact information!

Thankfully, a few patisseries around Los Angeles delve out these beauties. That being said, your macaron need not be imported from Pierre Hermé or Laudrée. Even this sample of Parisians cannot tell the difference between McDonald's and Laudrée. And you thought you'd never see the day when McDonald's carried little Macs.

Chiffon de Pastry Art was a darling find in Arcadia, thanks to my bestie Jessica. Even though both of us were pregnant with food, twins Slaw Dogs and Polkatots, she insisted that I try their macarons. How could I, ms. sweet teeth, say no?

what pretty green feet!

I haven't had the pleasure of trying a green tea macaron before, so I don't have much to compare it to. The macaron and its filling were made of matcha powder, the same powder used to flavor mochi and green tea ice cream. Due to the bitter, earthy taste of the matcha, the macaron wasn't very sweet and well-balanced. If you're a lover of matcha green tea, this is your kind of macaron. Mine, not so much.

flavors: green tea, strawberry, chocolate mango

Macarons were reasonably priced at $2.25 for their large size. The texture was a bit too chewy and you'd be better off heading to Euro Pane in Pasadena for their sea salt caramel and pistachio macarons. Opt for Chiffon's namesake instead!

Thousands of tourists visit the Bellagio botanical gardens every year, but how many take the time to visit the world's largest chocolate fountain? Tucked away in the west wing of the Bellagio near the wedding chapel, is a gorgeous European style patisserie.

The Jean Philippe Patisserie boasts chocolate dipped strawberries topped with coconut flakes and hazelnuts, several flavors of gelato, savory and sweet crepes, petit fours, and other delectable desserts. Every time I visit Sin City, I have to come here for a crepe or my trip doesn't feel complete!

My parents and I ordered a berry mix souffle crepe drizzled with chocolate syrup. Most of the crepes that I have tried here are phenomenal. The crepes are on par, if not better, than the streetside crepes in Paris. This particular crepe is stuffed with a vanilla souffle and then topped with a berry compote and per my request, chocolate syrup. The warm mixed berry topping consists of all fresh raspberries, blackberries, strawberries in a compote. The sweetness of the fruit compote pairs perfectly with the tartness of the strawberries this time of the year. I also recommend the strawberry nutella sweet crepe!

Along with the crepe, I ordered two petit fours for the ride back home: the "intense" and the "rose macaron."

The "intense" petit four is a dark chocolate mousse, chocolate cremeux, and chocolate glaze. Topped with a French-style macaron, it was a match made in chocolate heaven. If you EVER go to Vegas, you need -- no, you MUST, order one of these $6 pastries. Yes, it is small, but it makes up for its size with the rich chocolate flavor. My dad loved the chocolate so much, he insisted we buy a $16 bottle of their dark chocolate. The next time I visit the patisserie, I refuse to share. Family &amp; friends be warned.

The rose macaron ($6) didn't really meet my expectations. A candied rose petal topped a macaron cut in two, held up by raspberry pillars. Sandwiched between the macaron was a vanilla custard, which was a bit too sweet. The concept is great, but the macaron and the custard mingled into a soggy disaster. We ended up eating half of this dessert and then tossed it. The parts of the macaron that weren't soggy were a treat to our taste buds!

Overall, there's always something new at the patisserie. Their almond bear claws (my parents ate it before I could snap a photo) are the best I've ever tasted. Perfectly flaky and buttery, they aren't too heavy and have a great texture to accompany my Illy cappuccino. This time of year, the patisserie offers Christmas tree ornaments of round balls of rice krispy treats dipped in chocolate.

If you're headed to Vegas, I insist that you and your palate visit the Jean Philippe Patisserie. Heck, they have the world's largest CHOCOLATE fountain according to Guiness World Records-- that's Willy Wonka status!

Never ever in my wildest dreams did I expect to gush about ice in a post. You know... when water freezes at 0° Celsius? That's the ice I'm talking about. The only difference is that Névé luxury ice is super duper fancy and very practical for the cocktail enthusiast.

No one enjoys a watered down cocktail and Névé offers a solution: ice made of the purest water, frozen carefully to ensure the slowest rates of dilution. The ice is consciously shaped to fit your glass snug and to have the least amount of surface area, a poor quality of regular ice that quickens the melting process. If the ice doesn't melt as fast, your drink will just taste like its original self for much longer!

straws were most necessary!

the Collins/Hi-Ball Ice, used in the Eloper

cocktail chique!

inscribed square block of Névé "old-fashioned" ice

I spy a chest full of ice!

Névé thinks out of the square mold: the ice can be flavored or shaped in compact spheres. These spheres enable professional bartenders to shake without the fear of having the ice explode and hence, dilute the beverage. Michel also mentioned that vanilla Névé ice tastes divine in whiskey yum!

Osteria La Buca provided a soon-to-be developed offshoot of their restaurant for the night's festivities. Event-goers ventured through a back alley and into this speakeasy-like room. Masking tape on both the floor and walls showcased how the space will be revamped. Owner Graham Snyder and designer Brendan Ravenhill explained the transformation of the room as an inviting "oasis where wine and prosciutto flow abundantly!"

Light appetizers from Osteria La Buca were passed out during the event, but my photographer JC failed to capture most of the snacks. His reason why he didn't get several shots? It was a damn good one he was "too buzzed."

the Eloper

Dimmi Italian liqueur, vodka, lemon juice, cantaloupe, &amp; prosecco

I'm a bit biased about this drink, as I despise cantaloupe, the main ingredient of the Eloper. A few years ago, I ate an entire rotten cantaloupe and ended up staying in a hospital overnight thinking that the melon did me in. Since then, I try to avoid it; unless it's mixed with booze, that is. Can't let a good drink go to waste, right?

The Eloper wasn't my favorite cocktail, but was definitely an unique attempt by Steve Livigni of La Descarga. Dimmi, a floral Italian liqueur, paired well with the fruity and bubbly components of the beverage. A prosciutto garnish gave the beverage a much needed salty component to complement the sweet melon.

Check out artist Champion Grubbs' chalk rendition of the Eloper:

art &amp; booze pair well

Nights with Névé: Drink as Art was very successful in producing hangovers!

the silencio Dolce

Zaya rum, Averna Amaro, Nocello walnut liqueur, blood orange juice

My second favorite drink that night was the silencio Dolce. I am quite fond of rum-based beverages, due to college stints with Sailor Jerry. What I truly lovedabout this cocktail was the rim on the glass. You see those specks of black powder? Coffee grounds. Freakin' genius, right? I was constantly rotating the glass so every fresh citrus sip would experience the earthy coffee flavor.

Michel showing off a bottle of Cynar

the primary ingredient is artichoke(oh and next to that bottle in the pretty blouse, that's me sippin')

Okay, I'm going to say it...

I crush on people whose passion for something exudes from their pores, especially when the topic is food and booze. It's no wonder Michel Dozois created Névé luxury ice as he's so friggin' hot in a "I love booze so much I'm going to kiss this bottle of sweet vermouth" way.

Italian Stallion

scotch, Carpano Antica, Cynar

my favorite cocktail that night!

Overhearing a group of us chatting about his first cocktail, Michel came over and showed us the components of the Italian Stallion: Cynar and his favorite vermouth, Carpano Antica. He kissed the bottle repeatedly for pictures, of course and proceeded to pour our group a glass of the sweet vermouth. Ila of i nom things, her fiancé Hiroki, and friend JC passed along the glass of precious vermouth as if we were a bunch of kids sharing a joint. The Carpano Antica was reminiscent of sweet tea and tasted quite delightful. According to Michel, it should retail for about $30 and is a great addition to any liquor cabinet.

putting all his eggs in one basket

I was a bit giddy when I spotted the eggs. I scanned the drink menu and spotted "egg whites" as a component of Michel's second drink, "I Luv Lucy." Named after his blushing girlfriend (who was also in attendance), Michel cracked up egg whites, whiskey, lemon juice, and his other love, Carpano Antica, for the last drink of the evening.

The I Luv Lucy ended the evening on a frothy note for my plus one and myself. We ducked out a bit early to make a dinner reservation with some family visiting from India at Susan Feniger's Street, even though I was dying to sample the rest of Osteria La Buca's menu! We will be back La Buca!

Thank you Citysearch Los Angeles for the pair of tickets, Dan Cox, owner Graham Snyder for the delicious bites, professional bartender Steve Livigni, and the m-ice-termind behind Névé Michel Dozois!

The next Night with Névé? Leave it to public relations expert Dan Cox to hint that a booze bus is the works! Where can you get your Névé ice cocktail experience on? Drink up here:

Procrastination is my middle name. That is, until something truly amazing comes along and I have to write/blog/blab about it to all my friends. It's 2:00 AM in the morning and I cannot help but write about Bulgarini Gelato.

I've been wanting to try this gelateria for a while, but didn't quite get around to it until tonight. I invited my friends over for my very first batch of coffee dark chocolate chunk ice cream in my sparkly, stainless steel, 2 quart Cuisinart ice cream maker. A 21st birthday present come early, I was so thrilled I forgot the oh so important step of freezing the freeze bowl. A bit devastated that I forgot to RTFM and that my friends were now dessert-less, we decided to make the ten mile trek to Bulgarini Gelato.

The location isn't anything spectacular; it is not across a contemporary condo on Abbot Kinney, nor is it on thriving overly chain-driven 3rd street in Santa Monica. Bulgarini Gelato is tucked away in a dark plaza which boasts a Rite-Aide and a few small stores. Please, excuse the forthcoming cliche: Bulgarini Gelato is a diamond in the rough.

This small gelateria has plenty of outdoor seating and quite the local following. Saturday nights are especially fun, as they screen an Italian movie outdoors.

The four of my friends and myself couldn't help but sample a variety of the flavors; hence, the three spoons in my single "scoop" or "piccola" of gelato. Each piccola allows one to get three, approximately 2 oz. scoops of gelati. I sampled six flavors:

This time, for my trio I picked the goat's milk (left), chocolate (top right), and caffe (bottom). I was very pleased with how all three paired with each other. My friend JC choose the lemon, kiwi, and plum. If I were to visit again in the heat of the day, that would most definitely be my next trio.

Westside truly represents and can flaunt Bulgarini Gelato as one of it's hotspots, or in this case, deliciously cold spot! I know for a fact that my friends and I will be back to Bulgarini, but will you?

When the weekend rolls around and I'm looking for a place to head to dinner with my parents, I never consider or suggest a steakhouse; it's unheard of in many Hindu households! That is, until I had the opportunity to dine with other food writers and friends at Fleming's Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar.

Located at L.A. Live across from the Staples Center, Fleming's recently updated their lunch and dinner menu to include more seafood and vegetarian options, while adding two new "classic" steak options.

Ta-da! It's a new menu!

Fleming's prides itself for its critically acclaimed 100 wines by the glass selection. Our meal was paired with the following two wines:

The first course offered both lump crab louis wraps and roasted mushroom ravioli. The roasted mushroom ravioli was an earthy medley of mushrooms. The ravioli is handmade off premises and imported to each Fleming's location.

Lump Crab Louis Wraps

butter lettuce, avocado, bacon, chives, egg, tomatoes

Lump Crab Louis Wraps - close-up

The lump crab louis wrap was my favorite dish of the afternoon. It was a nightmare for me to handle, as I maneuvered my knife and fork in frustration. Thankfully, others had the same problem and the table concluded that these babies are supposed to be manhandled! The lump crab bits were chunky and extremely fresh. I barely used any of the red pepper and lime butter sauce, due to filling of creamy avocados and juicy tomatoes. In summation, the wraps were an elevated, seafood interpretation of a Cobb salad. Oh, and did I mention the bits of bacon were an excellent textural component?

Tillamook Bay Petrale Sole

crab beignets, lemon butter sauce

"Rich" doesn't begin to describe the Petrale sole! The lemon butter sauce isn't for the faint-hearted, as it completely drenched the sole, which had been lightly dusted and flash fried. My Indian palate appreciated the diced up garnish of jalapeno peppers. The lump crab and corn beignets were intended to provide texture to complement the tender sole, but were a bit too deep fried for my liking. A fair contender on the dinner table, the sole was a bit heavy for lunch time fare. For a much lighter option, opt for the niçoise salad.

Roasted Baby Carrots

golden raisins, toasted almonds

I was very impressed that I gobbled down about four of five of these baby carrots, considering the sheer amount of food provided at the tasting. Sauteed in apple juice, brandy, golden raisins, and Californian almonds, these baby carrots were extremely tender and a must-order side in my books. The treatment and flavor of the baby carrots is the savory equivalent of the Indian dessert gajar ka halwa.

Peppercorn Steak

prime NY steak, crushed white &amp; black peppercorns, "F17" sauce

Sauteed Haricot Vert (French green beans)

shiitake mushrooms, porcini essence

So why didn't you eat at steakhouses? I've been brought up Hindu, which means worship the holy cow and no beef for me. I've never tasted it, but I've been curious enough to order faux steak at one of those imitation meat-only restaurants in the San Gabriel Valley. When Linden of gastronomnom asked me what is my take is on game meat, I confirmed I'm pretty much down for everything, but beef. Beef has become a stigma in my family, but don't let it become one at your table at Fleming's!

The peppercorn steak looked delicious, especially since one side is completely broiled with cracked pepper to negate some of the strong peppery flavor. Served with the proprietary "F17" sauce, a take on "A1," was coined for its seventeen ingredients. If you're not a peppery guy or gal, consider the other new addition to the menu, the porcini rubbed filet mignon.

Since I don't eat steak, this salad joined the tasting menu. I kept having to remind myself this was a modern, deconstructed take of the salmon niçoisesalad. The salmon was only lightly seasoned and topped with candied lemon rinds, in order for the accompaniments to shine. The vinaigrette on the salad was extremely sparse and could have been kicked up a notch. My favorite part of the deconstruction was the sweet roasted baby peppers and the truffled deviled eggs when paired with the salmon.

Tahitian Vanilla Bean Crème Brûlée

individual-sized portion, fresh berries

Perfect for one, the ramekin housed a creamy, specked vanilla bean custard. I was immensely satisfied with this dainty ending to lunch. A minute later, a server brought out this chocolate lava cake... even more swoonderful!

Chocolate Lava Cake

vanilla ice cream, pistachio tuiles, crushed pistachios, fresh fruit

Chocolate lava cake is one of those tricky desserts that not too many restaurants execute well. Fortunately for me, the self-proclaimed chocoholic at the table, Fleming's chocolate lava cake oozed of warm chocolate onto the artistically brushed chocolate plate. Their rendition of the French moelleux au chocolat was superb, because of the pistachio tuiles that cradled two scoops of vanilla ice cream. It proved that there is always room for dessert!

It's a prime location for all sorts of -vores and -tarians and I wouldn't hesitate to return just because steakhouse follows "Fleming's." I'll be back to check out their "5-6-7" happy hour special, which highlights five different appetizers, five cocktails, and five wines for only $6 each, seven days a week!

Posted by
Anisha
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Posted in
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Posted on
11/13/2009

Some have a sweet tooth, but I like to think I have a set of sweet teeth.

I heart Sugar Bomber. As a matter of fact, it is one of my tabs on my tool bar and something I obsessively check, along with my email, Twitter, and Facebook. Sugar Bomber, powered by Citysearch, is a great resource!

'Twas a later summer's night and I was googling my way to a new restaurant in LA. I came across a hot pink-ed out blog with the cutest, witty anecdotes. From what I could tell by reading her blog, we had similar likes and dislikes. I decided to grow some balls, if you may, and email my new idol. Diana was and is nothing less than friendly and offered me some guidance regarding how to start a new blog. This blog wouldn't be around if it wasn't for her help and enthusiasm! Can't wait to meet her at some tweet up, or perhaps the Eat My Blog charity bake sale!

So here I am... trying to figure out my way in the blogosphere! I hope that my set of sweet teeth will help you find the coolest, yummiest baked goods, desserts, and sweet bites in Los Angeles (and other cities!)

It's only appropriate that this chocolate bar is branded by the name Theo, or "gift of the Gods." Quite often, I refer to milk chocolate as the cacao bean's bastard child, but I was pleasantly surprised by this milk chocolate bar with pink peppercorns and cherries by Theo Chocolate.

This is my first, but definitely not the last review on chocolate. I'm always stocked with a bar or two of dark chocolate goodness, but when I forget to check my inventory you will always know about it via Twitter:

My verbiage was much more obscene off of Twitter. Gotta fulfill my chocolate fix!

When the chocolate arrived, I was floored by the packaging. A large (recycled) cardboard box was filled with (biodegradable corn starch) packaging peanuts and somewhere within that parcel was my chocolate bar! I was impatient -- uhm hello, we're dabbling in chocolate matters -- and I ended up emptying the entire box on my carpeted floor for a soft landing. Inside, was this beautiful pink 3.5 oz bar of organic 45% milk chocolate:

I love the pink packaging for Valentine's Day, cupids and all! I opened the bar upside down and was amused by the pink peppercorns. Everything is just cuter in pink!

The bar was segmented into six equal blocks, which was definitely a plus. I tend to get annoyed at Hershey's chocolate bars, because they are cut into twelve tiny blocks, when I know I'm going to eat at least half a bar in one sitting.

As I mentioned earlier, I never go out of my way to buy a milk chocolate bar; however, the 45% milk chocolate combined with the pink peppercorns and dried cherry bits went really well together. The milk chocolate itself was very creamy, while the peppercorns added a "crunch" and the cherries created a great "chew" factor.

The aftertaste was unique, as the pink peppercorns overpowered the palate and left a long-lasting impression. I never expected to the enjoy the peppery taste coupled with the sweet cherry and chocolate. It was a revelation for a chocoholic like me! As I was researching the bar on the Theo website, I also found an equally interesting chocolate combination -- dark chocolate with ginger and rose!

$3.50 a pop is most reasonable when it comes to this chocolate bar. I love the playfulness of the ingredients and the high quality of the chocolate! The only downside to this bar is that it is high in saturated fats, 16g in all. Just avoid looking at the nutrition facts and you're good to go indulge!

Theo Chocolate clearly strives to be eco-friendly and socially responsible, as perceived from their accompanying pamphlets on Fair Trade chocolate policies, packaging, and overall mission statement. Testimonials on their website praise their practices as a company, something that the business major in me truly appreciates, as it is a struggle for organizations to achieve a perfect balance between ethics and profitability. It reinforced my ideals that more businesses ought to give back to the community in any which way they can. Theo Chocolate, headquartered in Seattle, also offers both public and private factory tours every day of the week! When I road trip up to Seattle, which I've been meaning to get around to for five-odd years now, this factory tour will be near the top of the list of my itinerary!

I was so graciously sent this bar from Lee, The Chocolate Review, a blog that's always up to date about European chocolates, chocolate news, and what not. It's a very comprehensive site that all chocoholics should Bookmark! Ctrl + D that site kids, it's drool-worthy! Thanks again Lee!

Susina Bakery's chocolate bar collection near their register features quite a few varieties of Theo Chocolate, but it's not reasonable at $8/bar versus the $3.50 price tag online! Here's another review on Theo Chocolate's Bread and Dark Chocolate by Miss Diana from Diana Takes a Bite!

I was truly blessed by the Gods to be sent such a delicious hunk of chocolate.. and I don't mean the boyfriend! Happy Valentine's day everyone!

Gastronomically-speaking, 2009 was merely the amuse bouche to this year's foodie endeavors. I spent my free time chasing after food trucks, scouring the planet for cupcakes, tweeting my meals, and well...starting this blog. I have several posts lined up, but I just can't get myself to press the "publish post" button on Blogger!

Why? I don't like writing a bad review and I think my palate has become hypocritically picky. During the week, I'll stuff just about anything down my pie hole! My sweet tooth used to cash any form of payment, but now my mind butts in and I won't take milk chocolate over dark. It won't, can't, and most importantly, shouldn't happen (unless its a bar of Theo chocolate or belgian chocolate from Chocri).

That was then and this is now! 2009 meant dropping pounds, fifteen to be exact. I dropped all my "couple weight." When my boyfriend and I started dating three years ago, we were new to the kitchen concept. We were too used to living in the dorms sans kitchen. The only kitchenette available was disconnected due to a fire the year before, which burned down an entire floor of my building. Too used to fast food joints and unhealthy-healthier TJ's food, I gained a substantial amount of this so-called "couple weight!" My boyfriend put on a few pounds too, but he was so scrawny to begin with!

Anyway, this year I have decided not to cut out sweets completely, because that's too drastic. Instead, I've decided to only eat what will truly satisfy my taste buds (in smaller amounts, of course)! Also, it'd be great to drop those last stubborn 10 pounds, the result of picking heels and martinis over running shoes and quinoa!

I challenge everyone to go to SusieCakes if you haven't already! If you have, please go back and remind your senses how orgasmic their cupcakes truly are!

I visited the SusieCakes in Newport Beach not too long ago for my friend's twentieth birthday. Instead of opting for an early dinner, I pleaded that we must, must, must have cupcakes from SusieCakes. My girlies and I ordered three cupcakes: the mint chocolate, mocha, and red velvet.

We weren't disappointed. All three cupcakes were moist and the frosting on each was superb. The cupcakes were Goldilocks-sized, not too small and not too big.

The red velvet was very different from, but ranked equally with to Sprinkles. The cream cheese frosting was just divine and you could actually taste the chocolate of the cake. The best part about the frosting of all three cupcakes is that the outside of the frosting doesn't create that thick layer you sometimes taste at Sprinkles. As you can see, it's also not so toxic-red!

chocolate mint with just the right amount of sprinkles!

The chocolate mint didn't taste like toothpaste and didn't overpower the palate. Instead, it coupled perfectly with the richness of the moist chocolate cake.They clearly don't skimp on the quality of the chocolate. The mint was a very light green and emphasized the mint green walls of the bakery.

#1 cupcake of 2009

mocha cupcake from SusieCakes

My cupcake, the mocha, had the perfect balance of coffee and chocolate. The mocha was a rich, chocolate-lover's dream. Queen Anisha officially dons this cupcake "the best cupcake of 2009." The cupcakes are made in all-American fashion and don't look overly contemporary. Homemade is the name of the game!

My besties already took a mental note that this is where Anisha wants cupcakes for her future bridal/baby shower. More sweet reasons to love your best girlfriends. Post-gorging, we ogled at their collection of cards, candles, and gift boxes.

After trying so many cupcakeries over the past year, I was finally pleased with myself and thrilled to report to everyone -- SusieCakes' cupcakes rank equally with Sprinkles! Every time I visit a cupcakery with my friends, I always take one or two home to my parents. After several failed cupcake deliveries, my parents instructed me to never bring cupcakes home again. They had scoffed at Dots Cupcakes and told me to "never again bring us cupcakes from Crumbs!"

Everyone agreed that SusieCakes makes the cut -- that's three picky girls, an "oohing" and "aahing" father, and a chocolate-loving mother who cleaned up all the frosting from the doggy bag with her forefinger in one fatally delicious swoop!

I implore you to head to SusieCakes. I know it's a difficult task, eating cupcakes and all, but please do it. And when you do, please comment here and let everyone know what you've tried and how your jaw sunk to the floor in awe of its flavor and moistness! There are five locations, meaning no excuses!

Until about two weeks ago, I hadn't ventured into the acclaimed Italian restaurant, Drago Centro. Not for pasta. Not for biscotti. Not for the extensive wine list. Absolutely nothing! I vowed via tweet to make an appearance by the end of April, amazed by the sheer amount of buzz surrounding the new Spring cocktail menu.

The morning of the launch, it seemed very unlikely that I'd be able to make it I was in my usual frump, embracing one hundred days of a sedentary lifestyle before I start my professional career as an accountant. Around four or five (mind you, I'm still in jammies), my close friend JC, asked if I'd like to grab some coffee. I responded with an insistent and very mischievous, "how about a drink?" I half-expected him to decline, forgetting that my diner-in-crime always pulls through!

Voilà! I had a date, parental approval, and a thirsty point-and-shoot.

Disclaimer: As the night progressed, less attention was paid to the quality of the photos... it's almost like you're looking through my cocktail-goggles!

debuting the Spring cocktail menu, buzz worthy

I'd gladly pay $12 a cocktail for any one of these drinks, but it just so happened that the night of launch(only!) the drinks were half-price. At $6 a pop, with our no-college-debt and just-pocketed-birthday-money budgets, we gladly indulged in five drinks:

The settentacinque (75) was by far, the hardest drink for me to pronounce and I wasn't even close to being inebriated. I enjoy prosecco, especially when it is a bit dry and bubbly like in this cocktail. The last sip of the cocktail was very sugary, as the sugar cube had dissolved and settled at the bottom of my glass.

The draculino, or little dracula, shouted out Spring to me. Essentially, it's a well-balanced and dainty adult lemonade, that perfectly balances strawberry and basil. I love all drinks muddled and the bartenders at Drago Centro pay close attention that the seeds of the strawberry do not end up in your martini glass.

Rallenta, or "slowing down," is probably named after the sloe gin used in the cocktail. Sloe gin is a liqueur infused with very ripe berries. I only had one or two sips of this cocktail, but it wasn't as soda watered down as others warned.

maracaña

sagatiba cachaça, cinnamon tincture, lime, demerara (turbinado) sugar

The maracaña, named after a neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro, is a beautiful take on Brazil's national drink, the caipirinha. With its smoky and sweet tones, it easily became my second favorite drink of the night. Sitting at the bar definitely has its perks, as it showcased the artful preparation of the cocktails by bartenders and Michael Shearin, himself. Sagatiba cachaça, a Brazilian rum, means never-ending search, but I think I found a solid cocktail.

The arancia meccanica, or "clockwork orange," is the only cocktail that stayed on the menu from last season. It's Drago's little black dress; everyone wants one and it's damn fashionable! It's musky. It's savory. It changed my friend's perception of what a cocktail is; it's a drink that doesn't have to be sickly sweet, fruity and cater only to women! Ding-ding-ding, we have a winner my favorite drink of the night!

morel mushroom &amp; pork belly on polenta

compliments of Chef Ian Gresik

It was fungi-licious and polent-awesome! The meaty, spongy morel mushrooms paired perfectly atop the creamy polenta. My sole complaint was that I required a spoon and not a fork to clear the rounded plate of the polenta yes, it was that good. I know I'll be spending an ample amount of time in my kitchen trying to mimic the polenta... thanks again Chef Gresik!

la pizza del giorno, $4

spinach, ricotta, pancetta

I secretly suspected that my friend wanted the $7 kobe sliders recommended by Minty, but since I'm all about the holy cow, we opted for two pizzas.Priced low, la pizza del giorno doesn't disappoint.

la pizza alla salsiccia, $4

sausage, rapini, mozzarella cheese

Out of the two pizzas, I preferred la pizza del giorno over the one pictured above. The former was lighter, due to the fresh ricotta and spinach. La pizza alla salsiccia was quite a bit heavier, due to the melted mozzarella and chunks of sausage. Enjoyed the rapini (broccoli rabe) though!

i bomboloni, $9

doughnuts, apples, amaretto caramel, ricotta, brown butter ice cream

Solely based on the ever so small sample of the i bomboloni, Italian doughnuts,my palate insists on a return visit. I'd absolutely love to come back over and over again just to sample the creations of Pastry Chef Jashmine Corpuz and indulge in a cocktail or two or three. Only a portion of the dessert is pictured above, as JC and met a solo diner, Jeremy, who graciously shared some of his doughnuts and accompaniments. Jeremy, restaurant manager of DTLA's Roy's Hawaiian Fusion, really hit it off with my friend, which allowed me ample time to ditch my date and mingle with bloggerazzi. It was great to meet Julie of LAist, Nastassia of Let Me Eat Cake, Javier of Glutster, and many others!

In April, I celebrated my half birthday, which made me realize that it has only been six months since I've turned twenty one and could legally embrace Los Angeles' cocktail culture. When it comes to cocktails, I don't have the street cred to assign a bar a letter grade on the quality of their drinks, but I sure do enjoy a good drink. Drago Centro, with Michael Shearin on its side, definitely set a new standard in my books! If Michael's cocktails are that spectacular, just imagine what it's like to order dinner paired with wine, his true calling!

If you have not yet burst your Drago cherry, please do so while the Spring Cocktail menu is still around!

Posted by
Anisha
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Posted in
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Posted on
11/25/2009

"Julie &amp; Julia" finally hit the two-dollar theater near me. I didn't have the opportunity to see it when it was on the bigger and better screen, but today, I took time out of my oh so busy schedule and went on a movie date with the boyfriend.

The boyfriend and I have been dating for about 31 months, but really, who's counting -- not me, never. He doesn't follow chopstick etiquette. He despises when I tell him to put his napkin on his lap when we're out to eat. He also uses a fork and knife in the most amusing, savage-like way. If he could, he'd point out that I too, "feed my shirt." Every so often, he does watch and appreciate a good chick flick. Tonight was one of those nights, but the movie did not meet our expectations.

Don't get me wrong... I love me some Julia Child! I didn't fall in love with the ending and wasn't thrilled with the splices of Amy Adams portraying Julie Powell. The movie seemed to stretched out for what felt like an eternity and our rumbling tummies did not help one bit.

By the end of movie, I was inspired. I wanted to cook more food. I'm always baking and I don't spend too much time making my main course creative. "Julie &amp; Julia" definitely motivated me to cook a challenging meal and stray away from my current roasted butternut squash and sweet potato obsession.

I had my mind set on heading to the grocery store. I knew what I wanted: a baguette, some fresh vegetables, and salmon. But alas, Sid was far too famished and we settled on In-N-Out Burger. Two grilled cheeses and animal-style fries later, Anisha and Sid were happy campers.

[insert awful camera phone picture of grilled cheese]

[insert picture of Sid's fries drenched in condiments]

Julie &amp; Julia: never ever watch this movie on an empty stomachIn-N-Out: a solution to everything, especially when done "animal-style" or as my dad once calls it, "doggy-style!"

All in all, we had a great date night which ended with warm pumpkin pie, beer pong, and a nice long chat around the hookah with some buddies.

Posted by
Anisha
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Posted in
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Posted on
12/29/2010

Hello all (rather, all who are left),

I know I haven't been blogging here as often as I should/could/want to, but I've changed my focus and commitment to blogging about food. After a year or so of blogging, I've realized that desserts are my nish. I can ramble on and on about French macarons and dessert menus, but my tongue starts to knot when it comes to all things savory.

At least once a week, you'll read about dessert trends, favorite recipes, and dessert menu reviews in Los Angeles! Now you'll know where to head for dessert and how combining bacon with chocolate is so 2010.

Thanks for reading! I'll hope you'll make the transition to 52desserts!

Angelenos are obsessed with doughnuts. Ask any one of us and we'll be able to rattle off some of our favorite spots to grab a doughnut hole, glazed creation, or apple fritter.

Just about every city has their own version of a beer festival or food fair, but what's Los Angeles' recent claim to fame: the 2010 LA Donut Summit. Brought to you by Metblogs, the cost of admission is very affordable: bring either a dozen doughnuts or a large coffee-to-go carton from Starbucks, Coffee Bean, etc.

love the logo especially the sea of coffee

credit: LA Metblogs

Where? Griffith Park, near the Vermont entranceWhen? Sunday, June 13 at 1:00PMHow much? One dozen doughnuts or one large coffee-to-go cartonsHow will I sustain my doughnut cravings until then? Follow @donutsummit on Twitter!

Bob's Coffee &amp; Donuts, Farmer's Market, 3rd &amp; Fairfax

"The Best in LA" Los Angeles Magazine

Isn't this the cutest little doughnut stall? I'm always at Farmer's Market for the savory, whether it is Moishe's muhammara or the Banana Leaf's mee goreng. In all honesty, I never intentionally go out of my way to purchase doughnuts. The real reason I stopped by to grab a doughnut was because I needed to validate my parking for the first two hours. Although my first intention was validation, I thought "wouldn't it be great to highlight some of the doughnut shops around me in time for the Donut Summit?" I think so!

Are you seriously taking a picture of a $0.95 chocolate doughnut?

Damn straight!

According to Saveur's list of the top twelve most consistent doughnut shops in the nation, "no journey to the original Los Angeles farmers' market is complete without a stop at Bob's Coffee &amp; Doughnuts." A baker at Bob's freshly prepares doughnuts twice during the day since 1970: three hours before the market opens and in the afternoon.

I decided to go with a raised chocolate doughnut and not the original glaze. The dough had a slight chew to it and the semi-sweet chocolate glaze crackled gloriously between my fingers. In true Shwarzenegger fashion, I'll be back for their famous apple fritter and cinnamon roll, as well as a cup of coffee to wash it all down!

Lately, I've been spotting doughnuts on various dessert menus at mid-high end restaurants. Here's a concise list of gourmet doughnut destinations and favorites around Los Angeles, pooled from tweeps and memory: